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water. And he that faw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he faith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again, another scripture faith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

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Easter-Even.c

The Collect

:

O Lord, that as we are baptized into the death of thy bleffed Son our Saviour Jesus Chrift; fo by continual mortifying our corrupt affections, we may be buried with hinı, and that through the grave and gate of death, we may pass to our joyful refurrection, for his merits, who died, and was buried, and tofe again for us, thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

I

The Epistle. 1 S. Pet. 3. 17.

T is better if the will

r

of God be so, that ye fuffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing. For Christ also hath once fuffered for fins, the just for the unjust; (that he might bring us to God) being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prifon; which fometime were disobedient, when once the long-fuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing; wherein few, that is, teight fouls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto, even baptifm doth alfo now save us (not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good confcience towards God) by

Paraphrafe on the Collect for Easter-Even.

Grant, O Lord, that as, by Baptifm, we are planted into the likeness of thy Son Jefus Chrift's Death, so we may imitate his Burial also by continually killing and subduing in ourselves all finful passions and de

fires; that, Death and the Grave may become to us a pallage to a blesled Refurrection, through the Merits of that Saviour, who died, and was buried for our Sins, and rose again for our Juftification.

* The Spirits in Prison, Signify the Souls of those wicked Men who, in the time of Noah were disobe dient, and shut up in the Prison of Sin and Senfuality. To these Chrift preached by his Spirit, through the Ministry of Noah, when God of his Mercy, bore with their wickedness for the fpace of 120 Year, before he brought a Flood upon the Earth.

+ Eight Souls were saved by Water. The fame Water which destroyed the Ungodly, was a means of preferva

tion to Noah and his Family, by lifting up the Ark on high. In like manner Baptifm is a means of our Spiritual Salvation through Chrift, as the Water of the Flood, through the Ark, was of their corporal safety. Only we must take heed that we rest not in the outward fign; or suppose that we shall be saved merely by the being wathed, or sprinkled with Water: but muft add thereto an earnest defire to know the Will of God, and a diligent endeavour to perform it...

the refurrection of Jesus Christ: who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject unto him.

W

The Gospel. S. Matth. 27. 57.

1

Hen the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jefus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a great ftone to the door of the fepulcher, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, fitting over against the sepulcher. Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the fepulcher be made sure until the third day, *left his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worfe than the firft. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch, go your way, make it as sure as you can. So they went and made the fepulcher fure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

Eafter-day.

At Morning Prayer, instead of the Pfalm [O come, let us, &c.] these Anthems shall be fung or faid :

*

Hrift

Hrift our paffover is facrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast. Not with the old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of fincerity

* Left bis Disciples should come by Night, &c. Tho' it was very unlikely that a company of poor dispirited Persons should engage in such an undertaking as the carrying off the Body would not have been serviceable to their intereft; yet the care which the Jews took to prevent it, afforded another strong proof of Chrift's Refurrection; because under the custody of such a guard; it was improbable that his Disciples should attempt remove the Body:-but as it was removed and the

Sepulcher left empty, notwithstanding; it must have been done by a divine power. Thus God not only fruftrates the councels of the wicked; but makes them in struments to his glory.

* Chrift our Passover, &c. Christ resembled the Lamb of the Passover amongst the Jews. Because, as by the fprinkling of the Blood of the Pafchal Lamb upon the Doors of the Ifraelites, the destroying Angel passed over them: so by the shedding of the precious Blood

and truth. I Con 5:17

Hrift

CH

F

ore: death hath

Hrift being raised from the dead, dieth no more:
A no more dominion over him? For in that he died, he died

unto fin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Like wife reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto fin: but alive unto God through Jefus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6. 9.

:

."

:

Hrift is rifen from the dead: and become the first-fruits of them that flept. For fince b by man came death: by man came also the refurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die: even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor. 15. 20.1

Glory be to the Father, &c.

As it was in the beginning, &

The Collect.

:

Lmighty God, who through thine only begotten Son Jefus Chrift, haft overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life; We humbly beseech thee, that as by thy special grace preventing us, thou dost put into our minds good defires; fo by thy continual help we may bring the fame to good effect, through Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

*

I

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The Epistle. Col. 3. 1,

F ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things 'which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand

of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth: for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupifcence, and covetousness which is idolatry: for which things fake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience. In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Jesus Christ, who reigaeth with thee and the Holy
Spirit one God for ever and ever.

abstaining from the leaven of Sin, and by the practice
of all Christian Purity.

Paraphrafe on the Collect for Easter-Day.. Most mighty God, who, through thy Son Jesus Grace, produce in us good actions, through the fame Chrift haft vanquished Death, and given us eternal Life; grant, we beseech thee, that those good defires, which thou inspirest into our Hearts, may, by thy of Christ, we are saved from the wrath to come. As the Passover was kept in commemoration of the Ifraelites deliverance from the Bondage of Egypt: so the Feaft of Chrift's Resurrection is inftituted in remembrance of our deliverance from the flavery of Sin and Death. As the Jews were commanded to eat no lea vened Bread during their Feast of the Paffover; so hould Chriftians commemorate their Redemption by

If ye then be risen with Christ, &c. The Doc trine of Chrift's Resurrection should be a continual motive to Believers to rife from the death of Sin to a life of Righteousness, to mortify and fubdue in themselves all inordinate Affections to the Things of this World, and principally to defire, and endeavour to at

TH

The Gospel. S. John 20. 1.

HE first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the fepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. Then the runneth and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and faith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher. So they ran both together; and the other difciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the fepulcher: and he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the fepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie; and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the fepulcher, and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the fcripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the difciples went away again unto their own home. Monday in Easter-week.

A

The Collect.

Lmighty God, who through thy only begotten Son Jefus
Chrift, haft overcome death, and opened unto us the gate

X

It is worthy to be observed in general concerning this portion of Scripture appointea for this day's Gofpel, that the Teftimonies of our Lord's Refurrection

contained in it, go ou (to use David's Expreffion) from Strngth to Streength, and shine as it were more and more unto the perfect Day,

of everlafting' life; We humbly befcech thee, that as by thy fpecial grace preventing us, thou doft put into our minds good defires, fo by thy continual help we may bring the fame to good effect, through Jefus Chrift our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God world without end. Amen.

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Eter opened his mouth, and faid, Of a truth I perceive that God is no refpecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God fent unto the children of Ifrael, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, (he is Lord of all) that word, (Ifay) you know which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilée, after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, * who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerufalem, whom they flew, and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chofen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he arose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he who was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his Name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of fins.

Ehold,

1

The Gospel. S. Luke 24. 13.

his difciples went that fame day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerufalem about §threefcore

Paraphrafe on the Collect for Monday in Easter-Week.

O all powerful God who through the Resurrection of thy Son our Lord haft triumphed over Death, and given us an Affurance of eternal life: grant, we beseech thee, that those good dispositions, with which thou

* Who went about doing good. The Life of Chrift was not folitary, but social. And he certainly is the

inspires us may produce in us good Works, through the fame thy Son Jefus Christ, who reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

best Christian who is most actively employed in promoting the Welfare of his Fellow-Creatures.

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